Toby Flood faces race to be fit for England’s South Africa tour

Toby Flood will be ruled out of England’s tour to South Africa if he is not fit in time to play the first Test.

Toby Flood is facing a race to get fit (Picture: Action Images)

The fly-half missed Leicester’s Premiership victory over Saracens on Saturday with an ankle injury that could keep him out of next week’s final against Harlequins.

And coach Stuart Lancaster said last night that he wouldn’t travel if he can’t make the opening match against the Springboks.

Lancaster remains ‘uncertain’ over Flood’s fitness, but expects to learn more when the player meets with England physio Phil Paske.

‘Clearly there is no point taking someone who is not available until halfway through the tour,’ Lancaster said. ‘If there is a chance of him being fit in the few days after [the Premiership final] then perhaps we would [take him].

‘He has an ankle injury that will take a couple of weeks. It will depend very much on what our physios and the Leicester physios think at the time.

‘Hopefully he’ll be right for the final and the tour. I have to make sure I have enough cover for South Africa.’

If Flood is ruled out, Gloucester No.10 Freddie Burns is the next in line having yesterday been added to the England squad for the non-cap international against the Barbarians next week.

Lancaster, who is without his Leicester and Harlequins contingent, has also drafted in scrum-halves Haydn Thomas and Richard Wigglesworth, plus flanker Jamie Gibson.

Dylan Hartley will also be involved in his first match back since he was banned for eight weeks for biting Ireland flanker Stephen Ferris in the final round of Six Nations matches.